'Test Pattern' Review

Test Pattern is the little indie that could, getting strong reviews since its February 19 release, even though it has no stars and very little advance buzz. I say seek it out.

'Tom and Jerry' Review

I did not grow up with Tom and Jerry. The new movie didn't make me feel like I missed much. My review is up at Screen International.

Fine Young Cannibals - "As Hard As It Is"

Who can say why a song suddenly appears in your head? And yet, this track from The Raw & the Cooked is lodged in there right now.

'Cherry' Review

Tom Holland ain't no Spider-Man in Cherry, a film based on a semi-autobiographical novel that concerns a young man who went to serve in Iraq, only to come back with PTSD that only heroin could soothe. It's a grim story, and the movie does a bad job of dramatizing it. And that's because directors Anthony and Joe Russo are too busy showing off to invest in the emotional resonance of their tale. My review is up at MEL.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'I Care a Lot,' 'The Mauritanian' and 'Lost Highway'

Two new movies, one from the 1990s on this week's podcast. And because I didn't think much of I Care a Lot or The Mauritanian, I'm glad we had the David Lynch film to chew on. Hope you enjoy.

A Short History of the Golden Globes' Strangest Nominations

The Golden Globes are dumb. To illustrate my point, let's take a quick look back at their most boneheaded nominations. (And, to make it fair, I didn't spotlight movies or performances that also got love elsewhere. You can't yell at them for liking Green Book when everybody else did as well.)

A Look Back at "Techno Syndrome" (Which You Probably Call "The Mortal Kombat Song")

 

This was a fun one. A few days ago, Warner Bros. released a trailer for their reboot of Mortal Kombat ... which, to the surprise of many, did not feature the familiar theme song. That got me wondering: Had anyone ever written a history of "Techno Syndrome"? Not really, so I did. I found out some really fascinating things.

A Salute to 'The Conjuring'

The first two films are on Netflix now. They're horror movies, but they're also love stories. Let me explain.

Let's Rank Jodie Foster's Movies

In honor of The Mauritanian, her first film in several years, we take a look back at Jodie Foster's acting career. What's her best performance? Our pick is over at Vulture.

'Titanic' and the Challenge of Finding the Perfect Ending

This week, social media went nuts after the alternate, original ending for Titanic was rediscovered. My take is that bad endings are instructive because of what they suggest about what audiences expect from a "good" ending. (Also: What is a good ending?) My latest is up at MEL.

Joe Pesci ... Musician?

You know him from films like Goodfellas and The Irishman. But wait until you hear Little Joe Sure Can Sing! I wrote about Joe Pesci's forgotten musical career for MEL.

Going Back in Time With 'Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure'

It has been 32 years since the first film came out. Its abiding lesson: "Be excellent to each other." My appreciation is up at SyFy.

Smokey Robinson - "Cruisin'"

Glad you're goin' my way.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'Judas,' Kristen Wiig, Annie Mumolo and 'The World to Come'

Three new movies on this week's episode. Neither of us were as blown away by Judas and the Black Messiah as we were hoping, we disagree about Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar, while The World to Come has a lot to recommend. Hear the whole thing down below.

My Interview With Riz Ahmed, Musician

You know him as an (excellent) actor in Sound of Metal and The Night Of. But Riz Ahmed has a whole musical side as well, and it's on display in his new livestream, The Long Goodbye, which is inspired by his 2020 album of the same name. He takes his hip-hop career seriously, and so I wanted to talk to him about it. I had a blast: You can read my profile over at Rolling Stone.

Why Is Everyone Suddenly Talking About Phil Collins' 'Tarzan' Songs?

Folks, social media is a weird thing.

John Cusack Was a Different Type of Romantic Leading Man

...and it wasn't built to last. For MEL, I look at the 1980s heartthrob and how he personified Generation X. (People seem to dig this piece, which I'm glad about.)

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': Daniel Kaluuya, Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Yeun and 'Barb & Star'

I was on KCRW alongside Carlos Aguilar to review Judas and the Black Messiah, French Exit, Minari and Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar. A fun time was had by all. Hope you enjoy.

Movies About Love That Goes Bad

Who wants happily ever after? Sometimes the best movies about love are the ones starring couples that shouldn't stay together. I highlight 10 personal favorites over at MEL.

All Hail '69 Love Songs'

What's the perfect album for Valentine's Day? The Magnetic Fields' masterpiece, of course. I have a lot to say about it over at MEL.

'Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar' Review

There is a lot of stuff that's funny in Barb & Star. There is a lot of stuff that drags. I wrestled with my conflicted feelings about this proudly absurdist comedy over at MEL.

Baby Huey & the Baby Sitters - "Hard Times"

May you currently not be experiencing any hard times.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Looking Back at 'Ordinary People' and Reviewing 'Malcolm & Marie' and 'A Glitch in the Matrix'

Lots of disagreement on this week's episode. Plus, I make an announcement about my new book. And my Super Bowl pick ended up being correct. Hear the whole bloody affair down below.

John David Washington and Hollywood's Best Acting Sons

Now that Malcolm & Marie is out, I thought I'd do a quick survey of the best actors who are sons of famous actors. Where does John David Washington rank among them? The answers are over at MEL.

'Breaking News In Yuba County' Review

 

What has happened to Tate Taylor? I didn't like The Help, but at least it had its charms. And Get On Up was a solid James Brown biopic. Of late, though, he's been mostly hacky. Outside of Allison Janney's performance, I didn't have much nice to say about Breaking News.

'Coraline' and the Launch of Laika

Laika isn't held in the same esteem as Pixar, but they've done innovative stop-motion animation for more than a decade. And it all started with Coraline, which came out 12 years ago this month. I wrote about its legacy over at SyFy.

Christopher Plummer's Essential Roles

A few days behind on this, but for Vulture we mourned the passing of Christopher Plummer by writing about 10 memorable performances. (Yup, The Sound of Music is on there.)

'Music' Review

Pop star Sia has made her first film. It's called Music, which is also the name of the main character, played by Maddie Ziegler, who is autistic. Ziegler is not autistic in real life, though, which creates some issues for the movie. My review is up at Screen International.

Wait, There Was a 'Zoolander' Animated Show?

Sure was. For MEL, I spoke to director Aaron Augenblick and writers Michael Colton and John Aboud to get the inside story of what happened to Zoolander: Super Model.

"It Wasn't Me" and Our Fascination With Cheating

Twenty years ago, Shaggy's ode to infidelity dominated the charts. "It Wasn't Me" is now part of a Super Bowl commercial, and over at MEL, I looked back at a song that, remarkably, has become part of actual legal defenses. Read on.

The Weeknd, the Super Bowl Halftime Show and 'Uncut Gems'

Happy Super Bowl Weekend. Never forget how good Abel Tesfaye is in Uncut Gems.

"5 to 9" and the History of Artists Revisiting Their Old Songs

Dolly Parton redid "9 to 5." Is the new version better? I talk about that, In the Blue Light, "Walking on Sunshine," "Fast Slow Disco" and a few other notable remakes over at MEL.

'Rams' Review

The original Rams was a prize-winning Icelandic film about two feuding brothers who are both sheep farmers. The remake sends the action to Australia. Is Sam Neill enough of an enticement to give this redo a try? Sadly, no.

People Under the Stairs - "Acid Raindrops"

"When they finally did start releasing music, they say L.A.’s independent music support structure wasn’t interested. Fat Beats Records didn’t want to stock them, KCRW DJs ignored them. Other local artists shunned them." 

That's from a 2019 piece in the Los Angeles Times announcing that longtime hip-hop duo People Under the Stairs were calling it quits. And it's true: They always seemed under-the-radar, never fully breaking through. I'm part of the problem considering I didn't give them the spins they deserved.

On Saturday, the band's Michael Turner (better known as Double K) died at the age of 43. So this is in tribute to him, and them.

Sundance 2021: 'Jockey' Review

Clifton Collins Jr. received a special jury prize for his performance in Jockey. I think he's quite good, and so is Molly Parker. My review is up at Screen International.

'Big Night' in the Age of the Stanley Tucci Internet Love Affair

Stanley Tucci has long been a working actor, but only in the last few years has he been embraced as one of the Internet's Boyfriends. Where does that leave his greatest film? I connect the dots between Big Night and now over at MEL.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'The Little Things,' 'Saint Maud' and 'Supernova'

We've got three new movies to review this week, although only one of them is worth your time. Plus, we talk about the Super Bowl and the St. Louis Cardinals a little. Check it all out down below.

My Interview With Rodney Ascher, Director of 'A Glitch in the Matrix'

Are we living in a simulation? And if so, does it make any difference? For MEL, I spoke with Rodney Ascher, who makes documentaries about true believers. His latest, A Glitch in the Matrix, concerns everyday people who are convinced that the life around us is actually an illusion. Ascher isn't so interested in figuring out whether they're right or not. As always, he's more invested in why people believe what they believe. Hope you enjoy our conversation.

Sundance 2021: 'Prisoners of the Ghostland' Review

Nicolas Cage is very Nicolas Cage-y in the new Sion Sono film. (Does he have a detonator attached to his testicles? Why, yes, he does.) For Screen International, I dove into Prisoners of the Ghostland.

Sundance 2021: 'All Light, Everywhere' Review

I thought Theo Anthony's first documentary, Rat Film, was pretty special. I love his new one even more. For Screen International, I raved about All Light, Everywhere.